JP2001274225A - Treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a treatment apparatus for heating or cooling, whose height can be reduced. SOLUTION: The treatment apparatus for heating or cooling a wafer W to a substrate temperature is provided with a plate 51 for heating or cooling the wafer W in treatment position on its surface or near its surface, lifting and lowering members 56 whose extremities 56 can protrude from or be embedded into the surface of the plate 51 and whose based ends 56b are movable in approximately the horizontal direction and which lift and lower the wafer W between the treating position and the transfer position upward by its extremities 56a and a horizontal movement mechanism 81, which moves the base ends of the lifting and lowering members 56 in approximately the horizontal direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or the like, which is used when a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is coated and developed to manufacture a semiconductor device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photolithography process of a semiconductor device, a resist is applied to a semiconductor wafer, a resist film formed by the resist is exposed according to a predetermined circuit pattern, and the exposed pattern is developed to develop a resist. A circuit pattern is formed on the film.

In such a photolithography process, various heat treatments such as a heat treatment after resist application (pre-bake), a heat treatment after exposure (post-exposure bake), and a heat treatment after development (post-bake) are performed. Have been done.

[0004] These heat treatments are usually performed by a hot plate unit in which a heating plate (hot plate) heated by a heater is arranged in a housing. In this hot plate unit, the semiconductor wafer is directly placed on the heating plate and heated, or the semiconductor wafer is placed on proximity pins provided on the heating plate and heated in a state close to the heating plate. . When placing a semiconductor wafer at such a processing position,
Alternatively, when transporting a semiconductor wafer from a processing position, generally, a plurality of lifting pins provided on a heating plate are used. That is, in order to place the semiconductor wafer at the processing position, the semiconductor wafer is received from the transfer device with the lifting pins protruding above the heating plate, and then the lifting pins are lowered. After the completion of the heat treatment, the lifting pins are raised to lift the semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer is transferred by the transfer device.

[0005] The plurality of elevating pins are provided to penetrate the heating plate and are attached to a plate below the heating plate. The plate is moved up and down by a cylinder.

[0006]

Recently, there has been a demand for further miniaturization of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In addition, with the miniaturization and high density of semiconductor devices, it is necessary to perform high-precision heat treatment in resist coating and development of wafers, especially post-exposure bake treatment. It is desired to mount many hot plate units. For this reason, it is required to reduce the height of the hot plate unit as much as possible.

However, when the elevating pin is raised and lowered by the cylinder as described above, the height of the unit is determined by the height of the heating plate and the height of the heating space of the heating plate. A margin for the elevating stroke of the pin is required, and there is naturally a limit in reducing the unit height. Such a problem similarly exists in a cooling unit for cooling a semiconductor wafer.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating or cooling processing apparatus capable of reducing the height of the apparatus.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, wherein the processing position is on or near the surface. A plate that heats or cools the substrate at the front end is configured to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the surface of the plate, and the base end is movable in a substantially horizontal direction. Provided is a processing apparatus, comprising: a lifting member that moves up and down to an upper transport position; and a horizontal movement mechanism that moves a base end of the lifting member in a substantially horizontal direction.

A second invention is a processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, comprising: a plate for heating or cooling the substrate at a processing position on or near the surface thereof; It is housed, and its tip is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the surface of the plate, and the elevating member for elevating and lowering the substrate between the processing position and the transport position above the tip by moving the elevating member, And a moving mechanism for protruding and retracting the tip.

A third aspect of the present invention is a processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, wherein a plate for heating or cooling the substrate at a processing position on or close to the surface thereof, The plate has a magnetized portion that can be protruded and retracted with respect to the surface of the plate, and at least at a base end side thereof, and the front end moves the substrate between a processing position and a transfer position above the substrate. A processing apparatus, comprising: an elevating member, and a magnetic field generating means provided to face a magnetized portion of the elevating member and exerting a magnetic force on the magnetized portion to elevate the elevating member. I do.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating and lowering the substrate is configured such that a distal end thereof can protrude and retract from the surface of the plate, and a base end thereof can be moved in a substantially horizontal direction. The horizontal mechanism moves the base end of the elevating member in a substantially horizontal direction so that the distal end protrudes and retracts, eliminating the need for a margin for the elevating stroke of the elevating pins below the plate as in the past, reducing the height of the device. can do.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating the substrate is accommodated in the plate, and the tip of the elevating member can protrude and retract from the surface of the plate. Since the tip of the lifting member is moved up and down by the moving mechanism, there is no lifting pin below the heating plate as in the related art.Therefore, the margin of the lifting stroke of the lifting pin below the plate as in the related art is reduced. This is unnecessary, and the height of the apparatus can be reduced.

In the third aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating and lowering the substrate has a magnetized portion having a tip end protruding and retracting with respect to the surface of the plate and being magnetized at least at a base end side. Further, since the magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic force to the magnetized portion and moving the elevating member up and down is provided opposite to the magnetized portion of the elevating member, the elevating member can be adjusted only by adjusting the magnetic force of the magnetic field generating means. Can be moved up and down, and there is no need for the lifting pins to project below the plate as in the conventional case.
Therefore, unlike the related art, a margin for the elevating stroke of the elevating pin below the plate is not required, and the height of the apparatus can be reduced.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a resist coating / developing processing system for a wafer on which a hot plate unit is mounted, which is an embodiment of a processing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof. .

The processing system includes a cassette station 10 as a transfer station, a processing station 11 having a plurality of processing units,
1 and an exposure unit (not shown) provided adjacent thereto and an interface unit 12 for transferring a wafer W.

The cassette station 10 includes a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as a wafer) W as an object to be processed.
In a state where a plurality of wafers are loaded in the wafer cassette CR in units of, for example, 25 wafers, the wafer W is loaded into or out of this system from another system, or the wafer W is transferred between the wafer cassette CR and the processing station 11
Is to be transported.

In the cassette station 10, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of (four in the figure) positioning projections 20a along the direction
The wafer cassette CR can be placed at a position of the projection 20a in a line with the respective wafer entrances facing the processing station 11 side. In the wafer cassette CR, the wafers W are arranged in a vertical direction (Z direction). Also, the cassette station 10
A wafer transfer mechanism 21 is provided between the wafer cassette mounting table 20 and the processing station 11. The wafer transfer mechanism 21 has a wafer transfer arm 21a that is movable in the cassette arrangement direction (X direction) and the wafer arrangement direction of the wafers W therein (Z direction). Of the wafer cassette CR can be selectively accessed. Further, the wafer transfer arm 21a is configured to be rotatable in the θ direction, and has access to an alignment unit (ALIM) and an extension unit (EXT) belonging to a _third processing unit G3 on the processing station 11 side described later. I can do it.

The processing station 11 is provided with a plurality of processing units for performing a series of steps for performing a coating / phenomenon on the semiconductor wafer W, and these are arranged at predetermined positions in multiple stages. The semiconductor wafer W
Are processed one by one. This processing station 11
As shown in FIG. 1, a transfer path 22a is provided at the center, and a main wafer transfer mechanism 22 is provided therein.
All processing units are arranged around 2a. The plurality of processing units are divided into a plurality of processing units, and each processing unit includes a plurality of processing units arranged in multiple stages along a vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main wafer transfer mechanism 22 is provided with a wafer transfer device 46 inside a tubular support 49 so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction (Z direction). The cylindrical support 49 is rotatable by the rotational driving force of a motor (not shown), and accordingly, the wafer transfer device 4
6 is also rotatable integrally.

The wafer transfer device 46 includes a plurality of holding members 48 movable in the front-rear direction of the transfer base 47, and the transfer of the wafer W between the processing units is realized by these holding members 48. .

Further, as shown in FIG.
, Four processing units G₁, G ₂, G₃, G₄But
It is actually arranged around the EHA transport path 22a,
Part G ₅Can be arranged as needed.

Of these, the first and second processing units G
₁ and G ₂ are arranged in parallel on the front side of the system (front side in FIG. 1), the third processing unit G ₃ is arranged adjacent to the cassette station 10, and the fourth processing unit G ₄ is connected to the interface unit 12. They are located adjacent to each other. In addition, the fifth
The processing unit G ₅ of which is capable disposed on the rear portion.

[0024] In the first processing unit G _1, of the resist coating unit (COT) and the resist developing unit for developing a pattern of applying a resist on the wafer W (DEV) are two-tiered from the bottom in order. Similarly, the second processing section G _2, a resist coating unit (COT) and a developing unit (DEV) are two-tiered in order from the bottom as two spinner-type processing units.

[0025] In the third processing unit G ₃ are, as shown in FIG. 3, the oven-type processing units of the wafer W is placed on a mounting table SP performs predetermined processing are multi-tiered.
That is, an adhesion unit (AD) for performing a so-called hydrophobizing process for improving the fixability of the resist, an alignment unit (ALIM) for performing alignment, and an extension unit (EX) for carrying in / out the wafer W.
T), a cooling unit (COL) for performing a cooling process after a process involving heating of the wafer W, a pre-bake process, a post-exposure process for the wafer W before and after the exposure process, and further after the development process. Four hot plate units (HP) for performing heat treatment such as bake treatment and post-bake treatment are stacked in eight stages from the bottom. Note that a cooling unit (COL) may be provided instead of the alignment unit (ALIM), and the cooling unit (COL) may have an alignment function.

[0026] The fourth processing unit G ₄ also, the oven-type processing units are multi-tiered. That is, a cooling unit (COL), an extension cooling unit (EXTCOL) which is a wafer loading / unloading section provided with a cooling plate, and an extension unit (EX
T), a cooling unit (COL), and four hot plate units (HP) are stacked in eight stages from the bottom.

When the fifth processing section G ₅ is provided on the back side of the main wafer transfer mechanism 22, the fifth processing section G ₅ can be moved laterally along the guide rail 25 when viewed from the main wafer transfer mechanism 22. Therefore, even in the case where the processing section G ₅ of the fifth, the space portion by sliding along this guide rail 25 is secured, the main wafer transfer mechanism 22
Maintenance work can be easily performed from behind.

The interface section 12 has the same length as the processing station 11 in the depth direction (X direction). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable pickup cassette CR and a stationary buffer cassette BR are arranged in two stages at the front of the interface section 12, and a peripheral exposure device 23 is arranged at the rear. The wafer transfer mechanism 24 is provided at the center. The wafer transfer mechanism 24 has a wafer transfer arm 24a, and the wafer transfer arm 24a
By moving in the Z direction, both cassettes CR and BR and the peripheral exposure device 23 can be accessed. Further, the wafer transfer arm 24a is rotatable in θ direction, the fourth processing unit G extension unit (EXT) and belonging to the _4, further wafer delivery of the adjacent exposure device side stand of the process station 11 ( (Not shown) can also be accessed.

In such a resist coating and developing processing system, the wafer W taken out of the cassette station 10 is transferred to the processing station 11 and is subjected to adhesion processing, resist coating processing, and resist processing in the processing units of the processing station 11, respectively. A pre-bake process or the like is performed. Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to an exposure device (not shown) via the interface section 12 and subjected to exposure processing. Thereafter, the wafer W is transported again into the processing station 11 via the interface section 12, and subjected to post-exposure bake processing, development processing, post-bake processing, and the like. After such a series of processing is completed, the wafer W is transferred to the extension unit (E).
XT), and is returned to the cassette station 21 and stored in one of the wafer cassettes CR.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a hot plate unit (HP) which is an embodiment of the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention.
Will be described. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a hot plate unit (HP) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The hot plate unit (HP) has a casing 50, and a disk-shaped heating plate 51 is arranged below the casing 50. The heating plate 51 is made of, for example, a metal such as aluminum or a ceramic such as AlN, and has a proximity pin 52 provided on a surface thereof. Then, the wafer W is placed on the proximity pins 52 in a state close to the heating plate 51.
Is to be placed. A heating element 53 having a predetermined pattern is provided on the back surface of the heating plate 51.

The heating plate 51 is supported by a support member 54, and the inside of the support member 54 is hollow. The heating plate 51 has three through holes 55 formed at the center thereof, and a tubular guide member 57 is continuous below the through holes 55. Each of the guide members 57 has an articulated structure in which a number of small pieces are rotatably connected to each other, and an elevating member 56 for elevating and lowering the wafer W.
Is inserted. The elevating member 56 includes a pin-shaped tip 5.
6a, and the distal end portion 56a
By moving up and down the inside of one through hole 55 and protruding and retracting from the heating plate 51, the wafer W can be moved up and down while supporting it.

The guide member 57 extends downward from the through hole 55 and extends substantially horizontally, so that the base end of the elevating member 56 extends substantially horizontally.
Rods 84 extending in the horizontal direction are connected to the base end 56 b of the elevating member 56, and the rods 40 a are fixed to the plate 83. A piston 82 of a cylinder 81 is attached to the plate 83. The piston 82 moves in a substantially horizontal direction, and advances and retreats with respect to the cylinder 81. Therefore, the piston 8 of the cylinder 81
When the rod 2 advances, the rods 84 push the elevating member 56 in the horizontal direction via the plate 83, and the tip 56 a of the elevating member 56 projects from the upper surface of the heating plate 51. When the piston 82 of the cylinder 81 retracts, each rod performs an operation of pulling the elevating member 56 in the horizontal direction via the plate 83, and the elevating member 5
The distal end portion 56a of the sixth plate 6 retreats into the heating plate 51.

A support ring 61 that surrounds and supports the heating plate 51 and the support member 54 is provided, and a cover 62 that can move up and down is provided on the support ring 61. And this lid 62
Is lowered to the upper surface of the support ring 61 to form a heat treatment space S for the wafer W. When the wafer W is carried in and out of the heating plate 51, it is retracted upward.

The lid 62 has a conical shape that gradually becomes higher from the outside toward the center, and has an exhaust port 63 connected to an exhaust pipe 64 at the top of the center. Support ring 61 and lid 6 on the outer peripheral side
Air is introduced from the gap portion 2 and the processing chamber S is exhausted through the exhaust port 63 and the exhaust pipe 64. Therefore,
In the processing chamber S, an airflow from the outer peripheral side of the heating plate 51 to the center is formed.

In the hot plate unit (HP) configured as described above, first, the wafer W is loaded into the casing 50, the piston 82 of the cylinder 81 is advanced, and the tip 56a of the elevating member 56 is moved to the heating plate 51. And stand by in a state of protruding from the surface of the
The wafer W is mounted thereon. And then the piston 82
Is retracted, and the tip end 56 a of the elevating member 56 is lowered to place the wafer W on the proximity pins 52. Next, the lid 62 is lowered, and the exhaust port 63 and the exhaust pipe 6 are lowered.
The wafer W is subjected to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature in the heat treatment space S while exhausting the solvent vapor through 4.

After the heating process is completed, the piston 82 of the cylinder 81 is advanced to raise the tip 56a of the elevating member 56, and the wafer W placed on the proximity pins 52 is lifted. In this state, the wafer W is transferred by the support member (arm) 48 of the transfer device 46.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the lifting member 56 has an articulated structure,
By moving the base end side of the elevating member 56 in the horizontal direction, only the distal end portion 56a of the elevating member 56 is moved up and down while being guided by the guide member 57, so that the elevating pin And the height of the hot plate unit (HP) can be reduced as compared with the related art.
Therefore, in the case of the same number of hot plate units as in the related art, the entire system can be reduced in size, and conversely, a larger number of hot plate units can be mounted without much changing the size of the system. .

In this embodiment, it is effective to interpose a bearing 85 in the through hole 55 as shown in FIG. 5 in order to smoothly raise and lower the distal end portion 56a of the lifting member 56. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, it is effective to form an oblique through hole 55 ′ in the heating plate 51.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a fine adjustment unit 86 comprising, for example, a screw mechanism is provided in the middle of the elevating member 56,
If the length of the elevating member 56 can be finely adjusted, the control accuracy is improved, and the distal end portion 56a of the elevating member 56 is improved.
The protrusion length from the heating plate 51 can be controlled with high precision, and the heating process can be performed while controlling the proximity gap by the elevating member 56.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, an elevating member 56 'made of a flexible member may be provided instead of the elevating member 56 made of an articulated body. Examples of such a flexible member include fibers such as glass fiber, plastic members, and the like. The guide member 5 that is curved in the middle due to such flexibility.
7 can be moved following the guide member 57. Specifically, the elevating member 5 having such flexibility
By moving the base end 56b 'of 6' in a substantially horizontal direction by the cylinder 81, the elevating member 56 'is moved in the guide member 57, and the distal end 56a' of the elevating member 56 'is provided substantially vertically. It is possible to move in the through hole 55 and protrude from the surface of the heating plate 51.

Accordingly, also in this case, a margin for the up / down stroke of the up / down pins below the heating plate becomes unnecessary, and the height of the hot plate unit (HP) can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, and the elevation of the multi-jointed body can be reduced. The same effect as when the member is used can be obtained.

Next, a hot plate unit (HP) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 shows a hot plate unit (HP) according to the second embodiment.
And FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the heating plate. 9 and 10, the same components as those of the hot plate unit according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Here, three elevating members 91 are accommodated in the heating plate 51. The elevating member 91 is configured to be movable in a groove 90 formed in the heating plate 51, and along the bottom 90 a of the groove 90 while being guided by the side wall of the groove 90, with the front end portion 91 a facing upward. Mobile. The bottom 90 a of the groove 90 is provided at an angle indicated by α with respect to the horizontal plane.
By moving the bottom 90 a, the distal end portion 91 a of the elevating member 91 projects and retracts with respect to the surface of the heating plate 51.

A rod-shaped member 92 is attached to the elevating member 91 so as to extend in the horizontal direction. The rod-shaped member 92 penetrates the heating plate 51, and as shown in FIG. Like the bottom 90a of the 90, the groove 90 can be moved in a groove 95 formed at an angle of α. Note that two rod members 92 are provided, one of which is common to the two lifting members 91, and the other one of the rod members 92 is attached to the other lifting member 91.

The two ends of the two rod-shaped members 92 are attached to a pair of belts 93, respectively.
The elevating member 91 is connected to the bottom 90 of the groove 90 via the rod-shaped member 92.
It moves along a. As shown in FIG. 12, the belt 93 is wound around a driving pulley 96 and a driven pulley 97 driven by a motor 94 to form a belt driving mechanism. The belt driving mechanism is provided at an angle α. ing.

In the hot plate unit (HP) configured as described above, first, the wafer W is loaded into the casing 50 and the elevating member 91 is moved by the motor 94 into the groove 9.
0 along the bottom 90a, and the tip 91a
Is made to stand by while projecting from the surface of the heating plate 51, and the wafer W is placed on the front end portion 91a. Then, the elevating member 91 is lowered by the motor 94, and the wafer W is mounted on the proximity pins 52. Next, the lid 62 is lowered, and the wafer W is subjected to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature in the heat treatment space S while exhausting the solvent vapor through the exhaust port 63 and the exhaust pipe 64.

After the completion of the heating process, the elevating member 91 is moved along the bottom 90a in the groove 90 by the motor 94, and the wafer W mounted on the proximity pin 52 is lifted by the tip 91a. In this state, the wafer W is transferred by the arm 48 of the transfer device 46.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the wafer W
The elevating member 91 for elevating the elevating member is housed in the heating plate 51, and the distal end portion 91 a of the elevating member 91 is
By moving the bottom portion 90a of the heating plate 51, it is possible to protrude and retract from the surface of the heating plate 51, and the elevating member 91 is moved by the motor 94 to protrude and retract the tip portion 91a of the elevating member 91. There is no lifting pin below the heating plate, and therefore, a margin for the lifting stroke of the lifting pin below the heating plate as in the related art is unnecessary, and the height of the hot plate unit (HP) is the same as in the first embodiment. Can be reduced.

In this embodiment, in place of the linearly moving elevating member 91, an elevating member 91 'which protrudes and retracts by rotation can be used as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 13 and the plan view of FIG. In this case, a rotating shaft 99 is horizontally provided at an eccentric position of the elevating member 91 ', and a groove 98 is provided in the heating plate 51 corresponding to the rotation locus of the elevating member 91', as shown in FIG. By rotating the elevating member 91 ′ about the rotating shaft 99 from the state of being housed in the heating plate 51, the tip 91 a ′ of the elevating member 91 ′ as shown in FIG.
Can protrude from the surface. As shown in FIG. 14, the rotating shaft 99 of the lifting member 91 ′ is connected to a shaft of a motor 100 provided outside the heating plate 51 through the inside of the heating plate 51. Note that two rotating shafts 99 are provided, one of which is common to the two lifting members 91 ′, and the other rotating shaft 99 is attached to the other lifting member 91 ′. .

Also in this case, an elevating member 91 'for elevating and lowering the wafer W is accommodated in the heating plate 51, and its tip end 91a' rotates in the groove 98 to allow the heating plate 51 to rotate. Since the elevating member 91 'is rotated by the motor 100 to protrude and retract the distal end portion 91a' of the elevating member 91 ', there is no elevating pin below the heating plate as in the related art. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a margin for the up / down stroke of the up / down pins below the heating plate as in the related art, and the height of the hot plate unit (HP) can be reduced.

Next, a hot plate unit (HP) according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG.
Is a hot plate unit (H) according to the third embodiment.
It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of P). In FIG. 15, the same components as those of the hot plate unit according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Here, the three elevating members 111 can move through the through holes 55 of the heating plate 51 and can protrude and retract from the surface of the heating plate 51, and the magnetized magnets are provided at the base ends thereof. It has a magnetic part 112. The front end 111a can support the wafer W. The magnetized part 112 is magnetized so that the lower part thereof becomes “N” as shown in the figure, for example.

An electromagnet 113 is provided below the elevating member 111 as magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic force to the magnetized portion 12 to elevate the elevating member 111. The electromagnet 113 includes a core 1 a made of a magnetic material and a coil 1.
13b is wound around the coil 113b.
DC power supply 114 and output adjustment mechanism 115 are connected to b. This output adjustment mechanism 115 is
Is controlled by the When the output from the power supply 114 to the electromagnet 113 is set to 0 by the output adjustment mechanism 115, the lifting member 11 is moved to a position where the magnetized portion 112 contacts the electromagnet 113 as shown in FIG.
1 has been lowered, while the output adjustment mechanism 1
15 and a predetermined current is passed through the coil 113,
As shown in (b), by forming a magnetic field on the electromagnet 113 such that the upper side is “N” and the lower side is “S”, the magnetized portion 112 and the electromagnet 113 repel each other. Ascending, the tip portion 111a becomes the heating plate 5
1 protrudes from the surface. The magnetized part 112
May be S at the lower end. Further, when forming the state in which the elevating member 111 is lowered, a magnetic field may be formed in the electromagnet 113 so as to attract the magnetized part 112.
By doing so, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the elevating member 111 from occurring.

In the hot plate unit (HP) configured as above, first, the wafer W is loaded into the casing 50, the output adjusting mechanism 115 is adjusted to supply a predetermined current to the electromagnet 113, and the Is raised to "N", the elevating member 111 is raised as shown in FIG. 15 (b), and the front end 111a is made to stand by in a protruding state, and the wafer W is placed on the front end 111a. . Then, the output supplied to the electromagnet 113 is gradually reduced by the output adjusting mechanism 115 to lower the elevating member 111, and the wafer W is mounted on the proximity pins 52. Next, the lid 62 is lowered, and the exhaust port 63 and the exhaust pipe 6 are lowered.
The wafer W is subjected to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature in the heat treatment space S while exhausting the solvent vapor through 4.

After the heating process is completed, a predetermined output is supplied to the electromagnet 113 by the output adjusting mechanism 115 to raise the elevating member 111, and the tip 111a lifts the wafer W mounted on the proximity pin 52. . In this state, the support member (arm) 48 of the transfer device 46
Transports the wafer W.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the wafer W
The elevating member 111 for raising and lowering has a front end portion 111a that can be protruded and retracted with respect to the surface of the heating plate 51, and has a magnetized portion 112 magnetized on the base end side thereof. The electromagnet 113 as a magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic force to the magnetized portion 112 to move the elevating member 111 up and down is provided, so that the elevating member 111 is moved up and down only by adjusting the magnetic force of the electromagnet 113. The lifting pins do not need to be projected below the heating plate as in the related art. This eliminates the need for a margin for the elevating stroke of the elevating pins below the heating plate as in the related art, and can reduce the height of the hot plate unit (HP).

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the wafer is heated by the heating plate has been described, but the present invention is also applicable to the case where the wafer is cooled by the cooling plate. In the above embodiment, the case where the wafer is placed on the proximity pins and the heating is performed indirectly is described. However, the wafer may be placed directly on the heating plate and heated. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where a semiconductor wafer is used as a substrate has been described.
This is also effective for a processing apparatus for heating or cooling a CD substrate. Furthermore, although the electromagnet is used as the magnetic field generating means in the third embodiment, the invention is not limited to this.

[0059]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating and lowering the substrate has its distal end protruding and retracting with respect to the surface of the plate and its base end extending horizontally. The apparatus is configured to be movable, and the horizontal mechanism moves the base end of the elevating member in the horizontal direction to protrude and retract the tip, so that the height of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating the substrate is accommodated in the plate, and the tip of the elevating member can protrude and retract from the surface of the plate. Since the tip of the elevating member is protruded and retracted by being moved by the moving mechanism, there is no elevating pin below the heating plate, and the height of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the elevating member for elevating the substrate has a magnetized portion whose front end can be protruded and retracted with respect to the surface of the plate, and which is magnetized at least on its base end side. Further, since the magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic force to the magnetized portion and moving the elevating member up and down is provided opposite to the magnetized portion of the elevating member, the elevating member can be adjusted only by adjusting the magnetic force of the magnetic field generating means. Can be raised and lowered, and it is not necessary for the lifting pins to protrude below the plate, so that the height of the apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a resist coating / developing system including a hot plate unit which is an embodiment of a processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a resist coating and developing system including a hot plate unit as an embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing a resist coating and developing system including a hot plate unit as an embodiment of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the hot plate unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an example in which a bearing is provided in a through hole of a heating plate.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example in which oblique through holes are formed in a heating plate.

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example in which a screw mechanism is provided on the elevating member of the hot plate unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a modification of the hot plate unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a main part of a hot plate unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a heating plate of a hot plate unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a part of a heating plate of a hot plate unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a belt drive mechanism used in the hot plate unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a main part of a hot plate unit according to a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a heating plate of a hot plate unit according to a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing a main part of a hot plate unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 50; casing 51; heating plate 52; proximity pin 53; heating element 54; support member 55; through-holes 56, 56 ', 91, 91', 111; Guide part 81; Cylinder 82; Piston 90, 98; Groove 92; Bar member 93; Belt 94, 100; Motor 99; Rotating shaft 112; Magnetized part 113; ) HP; hot plate unit (processing equipment) W; wafer (substrate)

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, comprising: a plate for heating or cooling the substrate at a processing position on or close to the surface thereof; An elevating member configured to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the surface and to have a base end movable in a substantially horizontal direction, and to elevate and lower the substrate between a processing position and a transport position above the base by the tip; And a horizontal movement mechanism for moving the base end of the base in a substantially horizontal direction. 2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lifting member is an articulated body. 3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lifting member has flexibility. 4. A processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, comprising: a plate for heating or cooling the substrate at a processing position on or close to the surface thereof; An elevating member whose tip is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract with respect to the surface of the plate, and which raises and lowers the substrate between the processing position and the transport position above the plate by the tip; And a moving mechanism for projecting and retracting. 5. A slope on which the elevating member moves is formed in the plate, and the moving mechanism moves the elevating member along the slope so as to protrude and retract the tip end thereof. The processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein 6. The elevating member has an eccentric shaft extending in a horizontal direction, and the moving mechanism rotates the elevating member about the eccentric shaft as a rotation axis to protrude and retract the tip of the elevating member. The processing device according to claim 4. 7. A processing apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate to a predetermined temperature, comprising: a plate for heating or cooling the substrate at a processing position on or near a surface thereof; An ascending / descending member capable of protruding and retracting from the surface, and having a magnetized portion at least on its base end side, and elevating and lowering the substrate between a processing position and a transport position above the front end by a tip end; And a magnetic field generating means provided to face the magnetized portion of the elevating member and exert a magnetic force on the magnetized portion to move the elevating member up and down. 8. The processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said magnetic field generating means has an electromagnet, and adjusts a magnetic force of said electromagnet to move said elevating member up and down.